Top Winter Olympics Athletes to Watch in Milan Cortina

The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin this week in Milan Cortina, Italy, showcasing a wide range of winter sports talent across 16 disciplines. With 116 medal events and nearly 3,000 athletes expected to compete, The Athletic has compiled a list of 26 international athletes to watch as competition gets underway.

Federica Brignone, Italy, Alpine skiing

The three-time Olympic medalist has recovered from a significant leg injury and will compete in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Brignone, 35, returned to World Cup competition in January and is the defending world champion in giant slalom, having also won the World Cup overall, giant slalom, and downhill titles last season. The women’s Alpine skiing competition begins Feb. 8.

Canadian hockey teams

The Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams are expected to contend for gold. The men’s team, headlined by Sidney Crosby, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid, will compete in the first Olympic tournament to feature NHL stars since 2014. The women’s team, led by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, has won five of seven Olympic golds since the women’s event debuted in 1998. The women’s tournament opens Thursday; the men begin Feb. 11.

Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, Italy, curling

The Italian mixed doubles duo has consistently performed well in major competitions. Constantini, 26, and Mosaner, 30, won Olympic gold in Beijing in 2022 and captured the 2025 world championship. Mixed doubles curling is the first competition to begin at these Olympics